The Florida Department of Health in Flagler County has issued a health alert for the presence of harmful blue-green algae toxins in Dead Lake, at the Bull Creek Boat Ramp. The alert is in response to a water sample taken on May 28. The public should exercise caution in and around Dead Lake.
The alert is similar to one the department issued for Bull Creek, north of the Bull Creek Fish Camp, almost exactly a year ago, when county government followed up by issuing its own alert, urging residents to “heed the alert issued” by the health department.
Blue-green algae blooms, also called cyanobacteria, can impact human health and ecosystems, including fish and other aquatic animals by producing poisons. When people or animals are exposed to cyanotoxins, they can become sick, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The blooms can also produce foul odors.
Skin contact with water containing toxins while swimming or doing other activities in the water, drinking water containing toxins, eating fish or shellfish that contain toxins or eating contaminated blue-green algae nutritional supplements can all expose human beings to the toxins.
That can result in stomach pain, headaches, dizziness, weakness in the muscles, vomiting, diarrhea and liver damage. For animals, dogs and cattle are especially at risk if they wade into contaminated ponds. “The long-term health effects of being exposed to cyanobacteria or their toxins in people and animals remain unclear,” the CDC states. “Because we are still learning about the long-term health effects, it’s important to take steps to keep yourself and your pets safe, such as not going into water containing large amounts of cyanobacteria or high levels of cyanotoxins.
The blooms are not necessarily visible to the naked eye, but they can can appear bright green, blue, red, or brown. Blue-green algae are a type of bacteria that is common in Florida’s freshwater environments. But they typically grow, or grow out of control, because of too much nutrients in the water, particularly artificial nitrogen and phosphorus contained in fertilizers, and that runs off into water bodies. Florida has been plagued with a surge in algae blooms in its freshwater bodies, in the Gulf of Mexico and in the Atlantic, to the point that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission maintains a daily sampling track.
“The explosive growth of algal blooms is linked to rising temperatures and rising pollution,” the BBC reports. “These green waves are both a warning sign and a symptom of a changing climate. As farming fertiliser and a tsunami of human sewage hit our warming waterways, we are in danger of turning our very drinking water toxic.”
Florida government’s official literature attributes blue-green algae blooms to “sunny days, warm water temperatures, still water conditions and excess nutrients,” downplaying such factors as climate change and leaving unsaid polluting elements. “Blooms can appear year-round but are more frequent in summer and fall. Many types of blue-green algae can produce toxins.”
Residents and visitors are advised to take the following precautions:
- Do not drink, swim, wade, use personal watercraft, water ski or boat in waters where there is a visible bloom.
- Wash your skin and clothing with soap and water if you have contact with algae or discolored or smelly water.
- Keep pets away from the area. Waters where there are algae blooms are not safe for animals. Pets and livestock should have a different source of water when algae blooms are present.
- Do not cook or clean dishes with water contaminated by algae Boiling the water will not eliminate the toxins.
- Eating fillets from healthy fish caught in freshwater lakes experiencing blooms is Rinse fish fillets with tap or bottled water, throw out the guts and cook fish well.
- Do not eat shellfish in waters with algae
“The Florida Department of Health-Flagler does a great job keeping us apprised of the situation when something like this happens, as well as issuing releases and putting up signage,” said County Administrator Heidi Petito. “They will continue to take water samples and will not remove the signage until the bloom is no longer a threat.”
The budget approved by the Legislature in 2023 included $31 million–$10.8 million for the Blue-Green Algae Task Force revived by the governor in 2019, with $10 million designated for harmful algal bloom management and another $10 million for innovative technologies.
The Department of Health provides the following tips:
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection collects and analyzes algal bloom samples. To report a bloom to DEP, call the toll-free hotline at 855-305-3903 or report online. To report fish kills, contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute at 1-800-636-0511.
Report symptoms from exposure to a harmful algal bloom or any aquatic toxin to the Florida Poison Information Center, call 1-800-222-1222 to speak to a poison specialist immediately.
Contact your veterinarian if you believe your pet has become ill after consuming or having contact with blue-green algae contaminated water.
If you have other health questions or concerns about blue-green algae blooms, please call the Florida Department of Health in Flagler County at (386) 437-7358.
Note: this is a revised and updated version of an article that appeared following the 2023 alert.
Laurel says
I used to write the NPDES (national pollutant discharge elimination system) permit for a south Florida city. It was difficult to read how George W Bush was constantly downgrading clean water requirements. Now, over 10 years since I moved away from the city I worked for, to this area, I’ve seen nearly zero public education on the subject. All I’ve seen in that regard is old stormwater plaques on the City of Flagler Beach’s drainage structures, and occasional comments in Palm Coast’s newsletter about not placing plant debris in swales and keeping debris out of the freshwater canals. Not one peep about the ICW. That’s it, in this red county.
To this day, politicians are still downgrading, or getting rid of, laws that are trying to reverse pollution. It is confusing to me that people are okay with leaving their kids and grand kids with a polluted planet.
Local says
Is there anything you won’t blame on Republicans?
BIG Neighbor says
That’s what your takeaway is Local…..to go into a self-defense posture and miss the point entirely? It’s not Laurel’s point….it’s bigger than that.
Public awareness is lacking, I agree Laurel, and thank you for speaking out . I know SJWMD cooperates with other partner agencies in this area to manage our waterway systems through active management controls. Now, what that actually looks like between policy, practice and implementation? Maybe that’s where a public service message could be part of our local Federal, State and municipal parks experience. For instance, stand-alone telemetry stations collect and report environmental sampling of air/water quality….like the Dorothy apparatus in Twister, except more benign in appearance. Those data sets used to be a critical component of its funding and mission. I don’t know if that role has contracted or expanded as AI and 4-D metric analytics takes over. They might have shifted their EPA restrictions based off of models that may be built form real or synthetic mechanisms, depending on scientific conscience and political winds .
Laurel says
BIG Neighbor: Yeah, I took Local’s bait. Even at my age there is a lot to learn!
My municipality was (is) one of 40 co-permittees. They are phase one communities, which meant high population. There are phase two and phase three communities, with lower density populations. I was on the education sub committee. We did all sorts of public education such as news articles, TV public service announcements, hand out giveaways at local fares, educated kids and much more. There is a lot of data tracking. We had (have) an Engineering firm that provided data analysis, and coordinated our reports. It is very intense!
In the dozen years we have lived here, I’ve seen the most minimal public education imaginable. There are silt screen fences, but do people know why? Do they understand retention and detention ponds, or rain gardens? Do they know the PPPs (Personal Pollution Prevention)? There is so much more to know.
It’s a sad thing to see that so little knowledge is being shared while there is still time to keep this area clean and nice. Information can be found at https://www.epa.gov/npdes
The dude says
Who runs the city?
The county?
The state?
Whom should the blame fall on then, if not the actual people running things and those that voted for them?
Laurel says
Yes! My husband was a lifelong Republican from a Republican family, until Trump, and still considers himself and Republican though he is now a NPA, in protest. I learned a lot from him. He’s one of the best people I’ve ever known in my life, but he cannot abide by these people who consider themselves as Christians, who have no tolerance, and consider themselves as conservatives, when they are not. He calls them tea party.
I don’t agree with Liz Cheney on all her beliefs, but I admire her strength, honesty and fortitude. Very impressive! I totally admire John McCain for his strength, resolve and his life long dedication and service to our country. I admire Jeff Flake, who earnestly tried to warn us about Trump. I have admiration for the stand up strength of Adam Kinzenger, we need many more like him.
There are, and have been, many valuable Republicans. If you have read more of my comments, you would know that I have supported Republicans who feel that their party has left them, and are embarrassed by the current flock of frightened, self serving line up who have gone off the rails with the attempt to turn our country in dumbed down, crazyville. I have supported that they hang in there and take their party back. I think they will.
Oh, by the way, what are the “Republicans” doing to clean up our air and water? You didn’t say.
Laurel says
Yeah, crickets. So sad.
Fin whale says
what they are doing is taking money from polluting corporations for their campaigns and luxury lifestyles. They are subsidizing oil to the max , and making oil friendly policies. They allow oil companies to drill and destroy public lands for their own profits. They are banning green and renewable technologies and only point out flaws, they take peoples rights away to voice their opinions in a public forum and to criminalize protesting. They make policies that benefit the corporations through tax incentives and remove labor protections for workers. So yeah the GOP is actively trying to destroy your livable environment so that some corporation can make more profits while nearly every other living thing is in massive decline due to human consumption and waste. Oh yeah and they ban science and any refence to science at the state level to suggest that humans arent the issue and we will happily kill off our own species and all others for money we made up. In summary they are not doing nothing they are just doing all the wrong things.
dave says
Scientists have recorded blue-green algae blooms dating back to the 12th century and they have documented the toxic effects to livestock for more than 100 years. Its been occuring in Fla in all my 71 years with the high temperatures and abundant sunlight. Heck Blue-green algae are normally present in lakes throughout Minnesota. Its even native to Montana’s freshwater lakes and reservoirs. So it not just Fla its everywhere. So if anyone is to blame, go back to the 12th century and chat with them. :) . To much pesticides in our waterways. And this stuff is nasty and produces some many dangerous toxins that can make pets and humans sick or even die. I feel overall Congress is to blame., They protect their pet projects and their backsides and turn away from the long term serious items or just give up fighting due to padded congressional bills..
jeffery cortland seib says
I think there is enough blame to go around. The safety of our water supply and our freshwater canals could be in jeopardy if steps are not taken right now or yesterday to address the issues that are the main causes of these poisonous outbreaks. Palm Coast residents should take a look at the city freshwater canals right now to see that the algae are growing in our backyards. Algae are a green plant. They respond to the same fertilizers poured onto lawns by residents living on the canals. For years I have expressed this fact and encouraged the city council to do something. To date, they have not. Why do we have to wait until something catastrophic occurs before we act?
Flagler DOH Mia? says
Where are all the comments and updates from the Department of Health in Flagler?? Since Bob Snyder, Sue Reese, and Mark Linde left the local Health Department website is out of date and local advisories are made from other public officials (like Heidi) and the state. Seems like all the proactive and productive ones jumped ship…